Ravens holding annual Military Appreciation Day on Sunday

The Ravens are holding a Military Appreciation Day on Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium during a free open training camp practice.

The Ravens are reserving 3,500 seats for active service members and veterans who present valid military identification when entering the stadium. Immediate family members of the servicemen and servicewomen are also welcome to join, with all preferred seating coming on a first-come, first-serve basis.

And the Ravens are giving those military members and veterans a special-edition Ravens patriotic T-shirt. It's not required, but members of the armed forces are encouraged to come in uniform for a practice that starts at 5 p.m. Gates are scheduled to open at 3:30 p.m.

This marks the Ravens’ sixth-annual Military Appreciation Day, an event head coach John Harbaugh instituted during his first season with the team in 2008.

Harbaugh, who plans to address the military guests just prior to the start of the practice, has been an advocate of the U.S. military since his arrival in Baltimore.

"We’ve got great respect for the military,” Harbaugh said in a statement. “We just really feel strongly about who the heroes are in our country. We understand that the freedom we enjoy to make all of our dreams come true, the American Dream, is made real by the sacrifices that are made by the American heroes in our military all over the world.”

Harbaugh was selected in 2011 as one of two finalists (Titans owner Bud Adams) for the inaugural NFL Salute to Service award for exceptional efforts to honor and support the military community. Last year, Harbaugh was presented an Outstanding Civilian Service Award by General Raymond Odierno, Chief of Staff of the Army.